Duke of Cambridge due to arrive this summer after years of rejected invitations

Prince William will become the first British royal to make an official visit to Israel and Palestine, an unexpected move given that political sensitivities in the region have stalled a formal trip for decades.

Kensington Palace said in a tweet that the Duke of Cambridge would visit later this year as part of a Middle East tour:

Despite the problematic relationship between Pacific Islanders and the British empire, New Zealand’s poet laureate saw a meeting with the queen as an opportunity for connection

She has the most recognisable face in contemporary Western history and she’s almost within my reach. The longest-reigning British monarch and I share a few things: we are both seated in Westminster Abbey (founded in 960); we share the same birthday (on 21 April 2016); and we are both wearing blue in a sea of black and beige, as observed by many an attendee afterwards.